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I understand that for the first season, don't expect large amounts of excess honey. Is it OK to take one frame and extract it, to taste it? How do I extract the honey, short of buying an extractor? What is the best way to extract honey from one frame? I have just passed the one month hiving date. 5 frames of plasticell are almost full. I would expect to put on the second brood box in a few weeks. Everything from what I have seen and read looks to be normal. I have found queen pretty regular, should I clip her wings or just let her be? I don't use smoke just a veil and gloves, they are not real agressive unless I drop a frame back in to hard. Any feedback or questions would be great.

&gt;I understand that for the first season, don't expect large amounts of excess honey. Is it OK to take one frame and extract it, to taste it?

Sure. It's hard to say how much surplus they will make, though. But you should be able to make it back up by feeding in the fall if they are light on stores.

&gt;How do I extract the honey, short of buying an extractor? What is the best way to extract honey from one frame? I have just passed the one month hiving date. 5 frames of plasticell are almost full.

If you didn't want to buy an extractor it would make more sense to use thin surplus foundation or starter strips with no wire. Then you can cut out the comb and crush and strain. That's what I did for about 25 years. Or just eat the comb honey, which is beter anyway.http://fire.prohosting.com/topbargu/harve.htm

But since it's on plastic foundation you'll hve to just cut slabs off the sides and let the rest run out.

&gt;I would expect to put on the second brood box in a few weeks. Everything from what I have seen and read looks to be normal. I have found queen pretty regular, should I clip her wings or just let her be?

I never clip them, but I have bought them clipped in the past. It's your choice. It will buy you a little time if they try to swarm and you're paying attention (checking the hive every day from the outside).

&gt;I don't use smoke just a veil and gloves, they are not real agressive unless I drop a frame back in to hard. Any feedback or questions would be great.

Miami,
It is wise to be cautious of robbing too much your first season. I was assured that I would have surplus after getting re-started last year. After a very rainy summer, I ended up feeding my bees to go into winter. A taste should be fine; if you are/ have fed sugar syrup, it won't taste like pure honey anyway.